Streaker Ramblings - NumBum Races 11 & 12 - 10.02.2019

 

Greyish Skies, a bit of sun showing and a light breeze on leaving Hove for Piddinghoe – in the rain. On arrival the rain abated just after I got the boat rigged and was seen no more this morning.

Toby Rollestone was RO, with Sandy Paupiah on the safety boat, and he set an adventurous course as shown below in a figure of eight format as shown below – the mark numbers are mine to help with this report.

 

With the start between the two slipways, along the south bank, away from the gates a fleet of ten dinghies went on the water. The breeze was about a lower force 3 from the west.

 

At the gun it was Ed Rollestone (Laser 4.7, NSSC) who was first away leading Chris Foster (Laser full rig, Lancing) With Dave Murley (Radial, NSSC) third to cross the line. Rupert Smith (Streaker, NSSC) was next to go underneath Dave and then Alan Simmons (Streaker, Lancing) nearest to the ODM. Chris soon tacked away onto port to get some clear air, as had Alan.

 

By the mark (no 1) off the clubhouse Ed.R was ahead of Chris next and then Rupert. Alan was behind hin on the short reach to mark No 2 but with Ed Thorburn (Finn, NSSC) on his port qurter and about to take his wind. This was the order at Mark No3 off the north west mark  (No 3) and up the following beat to the mark (No 4), well out from the Fisherman’s Bay Chris took the lead from Ed.R and Ed.T went ahead of Alan.

 

In the pursuing group Zoe McCaig (Radial, NSSC) went into sixth position with Dave next, Richard Beal (Radial, NSSC) tussling with Bill Wates (Radial, NSSC) and Penelope Duncan (Radial, NSSC) not far astern in last place. After the run towards Mark No 5, just off the north east corner of the Island, Penelope had an inside berth just ahead of Richard. By the end of the first lap Chris was in the lead with Ed.R in his 4.7 just 6 seconds in front of Ed.T in the Finn and with Rupert 11 seconds further back. Alan was fifth, Zoe sixth, Dave seventh, Richard back ahead of Penelope in eighth, and Bill in tenth place.

 

Lap 2 had Chris holding on to top spot but with Ed.T now just 5 seconds behind having finally got past Ed.R. Rupert, Alan, Zoe and Dave were in unchanged relative positons whilst Bill was now eighth having gone ahead of Penelope who had also passed Richard.

 

Lap 3 saw Ed.T take over the lead from Chris to lie 10 seconds ahead. Rupert, in fourth place was closing in on Ed.R  to be 41 seconds adrift. Zoe took over fifth place from Alan who managed to collide with Mark no 1 off the clubhouse and spenn some time disentangling himself before being able to do his turn and set off again. Dave was still eighth as Richard got past Bill and Penelope who dropped back to last place.

 

Lap 4 Ed .T pulled out a few seconds more ahead of Chris who was a minute ahead of Td.R with Rupert now 19 seconds astern. Zoe could not be caught by Alan but Bill went up to seventh  ahead of Dave, Richard and Penelope, the latter pair being finished at the end of this lap.

 

Lap 5 saw Ed.T cross the line in the lead 30 seconds in front of Chris with Rupert finishing third having eventually gotten ahead of Ed.R.Zoe was fifth with Alan nearly a minute behind. Bill and Dave finished seventh and eighth respectively.

With handicaps applied the winner of Race 11 was Ed, having sailed a blistering race, Chris was second, Rupert third, Ed.T fourth and Zoe fifth.

                                                                                    R11

 

Rank	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Elapsed	BCE	Points
1	LASER 4.7`	207462	NSSC	Ed Rollestone (C)		1207	36.01	0.00.00	1.0
2	LASER	171864	Lancing	Chris Foster		1098	34.26	0.01.40	2.0
3	STREAKER	1681	NSSC	Rupert Smith		1128	35.49	0.02.09	3.0
4	FINN	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		1051	33.54	0.02.32	4.0
5	LASER RADIAL	64200	NSSC	Zoe McCaig		1142	37.57	0.03.52	5.0
6	STREAKER	1700	Lancing	Alan Simmons		1128	38.52	0.05.12	6.0
7	LASER RADIAL	133416	NSSC	Bill Wates		1142	39.33	0.05.28	7.0
8	LASER RADIAL	142208	NSSC	Dave Murley		1142	39.40	0.05.35	8.0
9	LASER RADIAL	43382	NSSC	Richard Beal		1142	34.03	0.06.47	9.0
10	LASER RADIAL	81	NSSC	Penelope Duncan		1142	34.13	0.06.57	10.0

Race 12  started at 11.40 over the same course but by then the breeze had begun to build to a strong force 4 and as the race progressed with several really strong squalls.

Without a photo it is not possible to say with confidence who was first off the line in this second start but Ed.T, Rupert, Chris and Ed.R  were early leaders. By the end of the lap that was the top sequence with Zoe fifth and Alan sixth. Dave was seventh and Bill eighth. Penelope capsized before the  start and having been blown into the bank decided that it was an omen and retired ashore. Richard did not last much longer and it is believe he suffered a swim on the running leg between marks Nos 4 and 5. Catch a gust on that and one was mincemeat.

 

 

Lap 2 now with eight sailors still afloat, saw Ed.T in front and crossing the line half a minute ahead of second placed Chris with Rupert just 4 seconds behind in fourth. Zoe was fifth with Alan 16 seconds astern and beginning to struggle. Dave was up to fifth, having overtaken Ed.R who had dropped back somewhat – a possible swim? Bill also went ahead of Ed.R and Zoe took a swim on that, notorious, downwind leg. A long time trying to recover she eventually ended up beached on the Island and was taken aboard the safety boat. The boat was eventually recovered when some more brute force was added to the safety boat.

 

 

Lap 3 saw Ed.T still leading with Chris just ahead of Rupert by 6 seconds and being challenged hard. Alan was fourth not far behind Rupert. Dave and Bill were then lying fifth and sixth with 35 seconds separating them.

Lap 4 and Ed.T still held the lead with Rupert now ahead of Chris  by 5 seconds. Ed.R made a remarkable recovery to lie fourth ahead of Alan, who had had another tangle with a mark as Dave and Bill remained in the same relative positions but with just 8 seconds separating them.

 

 

Lap 5 the final lap saw Ed.T cross the line ahead off Rupert who in turn was ahead of Chris with Ed.R fourth, Alan fifth, Dave sixth and Bill seventh.

 

 

Handicaps applied to the elapsed times meant that the winner of race12 was Rupert with Chris second Ed.R third and Ed.T fourth.

R12

 

 

Rank	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Elapsed	BCE	Points
1	STREAKER	1681	NSSC	Rupert Smith		1128	29.07	0.00.00	1.0
2	LASER	171864	Lancing	Chris Foster		1098	29.26	0.01.05	2.0
3	LASER 4.7`	207462	NSSC	Ed Rollestone (C)		1207	32.22	0.01.13	3.0
4	FINN	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		1051	28.23	0.01.15	4.0
5	STREAKER	1700	Lancing	Alan Simmons		1128	32.23	0.03.16	5.0
6	LASER RADIAL	142208	NSSC	Dave Murley		1142	33.44	0.04.15	6.0
7	LASER RADIAL	133416	NSSC	Bill Wates		1142	34.34	0.05.05	7.0
8	LASER RADIAL	64200	NSSC	Zoe McCaig		1142	DNF		11.0
8	LASER RADIAL	81	NSSC	Penelope Duncan		1142	DNF		11.0
8	LASER RADIAL	43382	NSSC	Richard Beal		1142	DNF		11.0

The squalls in the second race, especially on the downwind leg from mark 4 to mark 5, meant that the gybe at mark 5 was not going to be a pleasant experience and Alan chickened out finding it almost as difficult to wear round on one lap but he survived. The forecast had been for 20 to 24 knots. That did not happen in race 11 but the gust in the second race even exceeded that top rating. There were a good few swims to be had but it was quite exciting sailing at times.

Alan.S 1700

PS. Today’s forecast  for next Sunday 16^th Feb  looks to be a bit quieter at 9 knots   from the south - but turn up and see what  is really happening.